1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical fiber connectors, and particularly to an optical-fiber connector assembly that has at least one right-angle.
2. Technical Background
Optical fiber connectors are used in a variety of applications where a set of one or more optical fibers needs to be connected to an external device, such as another set of one or more optical fibers, a circuit board, or an apparatus adapted to receive and transmit light. For example, optical fiber cables require connectors adapted to connect to and link discrete segments of optical fibers.
Certain optical and electrical-optical devices have circuit boards that need to be interfaced with one or more optical fibers so that optical signals can be received and processed by the device, and also transmitted from the device to another device or to a back plane. This often requires plug-in or receptacle optical connectors analogous to plug-in and receptacle electrical connectors used for electrical circuit-board components. Alternatively, such an interface may be accomplished with a connector end adapted to be permanently (or semi-permanently) fixed to the circuit board to establish and maintain optical communication with corresponding devices (e.g., photodetector or phototransmitters) on the circuit board. Because interior space is typically at a premium for most optical and electrical-optical devices, the optical connectors are preferably compact so that they can fit into tight spaces when connecting to a circuit board housed within the device. The fact that space is also at a premium on the circuit board makes establishing the circuit-board optical interconnection even more challenging.
Unfortunately, most optical fiber connectors and the optical fibers connected thereto do not allow for readily accessing and connecting to a circuit board housed in the tight confines of most optical and electro-optical devices because it requires introducing significant bending loss in the optical fibers. Accordingly, what is needed is an optical fiber connector assembly that has at least one right-angle and that is not susceptible to a significant bending loss when trying to connect to an external device housed in cramped quarters.